Visiting Nagoya Castle
Observing paper samples during a lecture on paper basics
The International Course on Conservation of Japanese Paper (JPC) 2024 took place from August 26 to September 13, 2024, co-organized by ICCROM and the Tokyo National Research Institute for Cultural Properties (TOBUNKEN), continuing a tradition we have upheld since 1992. Through this three-week course, participants engaged in a comprehensive study on the methods that have been used to preserve paper cultural properties in Japan. The primary goal of the JPC course is to encourage participants to incorporate Japanese conservation techniques into their conservation efforts worldwide, while understanding the techniques in Japanese contexts. This year, we invited ten specialists from Armenia, Canada, Germany, Italy, Malta, Mexico, The Netherlands, Switzerland, the UK, and the US, selected from 165 applicants across 60 countries.
This JPC course consisted of lectures, practical workshops, and a study tour. During the lectures, the participants explored the protection systems for cultural properties in Japan, the characteristics of Japanese paper, and the traditional tools and materials used in conservation, such as wheat starch paste and Japanese brushes.
For the practical sessions, technical masters from a group, whose techniques called “Restoration Techniques for Mounts” were officially selected as the Selected Conservation Techniques (National), join as lecturers. The participants gained hands-on experience in restoration processes by creating a kansu (handscroll).
The second week featured a study tour to the Chubu (central) and Kinki (southern-central) regions of Japan. Highlights included observing the use of byōbu (folding screens) and fusuma (sliding doors), in a traditional setting at Nagoya Castle. The tour also took the participants to Mino, where they witnessed the papermaking processes of Honminoshi, a technique designated as an Important Intangible Cultural Property of Japan. Additionally, the participants visited a traditional restoration studio in Kyoto that has been operating since the Edo period (1603-1867).
In the final week, the focus shifted back to practical work on the structure and handling of kakejiku (hanging scrolls), folding screens, and handscrolls.
In the post-course questionnaires, many participants expressed that they had gained a deeper understanding of the use of Japanese paper for conservation purposes. We hope that the techniques and knowledge acquired through this JPC course will be disseminated and adapted in the conservation and restoration of cultural properties overseas, and thereby contribute to their enhanced protection.
Practical work
Since 2012, the International Course on Paper Conservation in Latin America: Meeting East has been jointly organized by the Tokyo National Research Institute for Cultural Properties (TOBUNKEN), the International Centre for the Study of the Preservation and Restoration of Cultural Property (ICCROM) and Coordinacion Nacional de Conservacion del Patrimonio Cultural – Instituto Nacional de Antropología e Historia (CNCPC-INAH) at CNCPC in Mexico City. This year, the in-person teaching course returned after two years of cancellation. A total of nine conservation specialists from eight countries (Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Mexico, Peru, Spain, and Uruguay) participated in the course held from November 9th to 22nd 2022.
The course sought to provide attendees with basic knowledge and techniques regarding traditional paper conservation in Japan. Japanese specialists were in charge of the first part of the course (November 9th to 14th). They presented lectures on the protection system of traditional techniques, tools and materials used in restoration, and Restoration Techniques for Mounts, which is one of the Selected Conservation Techniques in Japan. Methods useful for various situations were taught by working on linings with Japanese paper and wheat starch paste. In the latter half of the course (November 16th to 22nd), experts from Mexico and Spain gave lectures. They spoke about how to select materials and apply their techniques to Western paper cultural properties.
We would like to express our gratitude to the participants for their cooperation in preventing the spread of coronavirus throughout the course. We hope that the knowledge and techniques the attendees acquired will be applied to the conservation and restoration of cultural property overseas.
Symposium
Since 1992, the Tokyo National Research Institute for Cultural Properties (TOBUNKEN) and the International Centre for the Study of the Preservation and Restoration of Cultural Property (ICCROM) have jointly organized The International Course on Conservation of Japanese Paper (JPC). The JPC contributes to the wider protection of cultural property; we invited professionals from abroad and provided them with information about Japanese paper, from its manufacturing process to its practical use in conservation.
This year, we held an online evaluation seminar on September 5th, 6th, 7th, and 12th. Former JPC trainees were invited to share how they applied the knowledge and techniques acquired during their time in the JPC. This was the second seminar to evaluate this project.
The presentations covered the lining technique used to conserve architectural drawings. They also covered workshops in Iran and Malaysia inspired by Japanese handmade papermaking. They all indicated that the JPC triggered the flourishing research and application of traditional Japanese conservation techniques tailored to regional circumstances. Some studies have highlighted Japanese approaches to conservation that differ from Western countries. Studio visits in Japan inspired participants to rethink work organization in their daily practice. In addition, the aim of the project and its practice-oriented features were recognized. Thus, our course methodologies have been identified as good references for education and studio training in other institutions. Following a review of the presentations, the symposium on the last day addressed issues in the distribution of Japanese papers and tools.
The JPC can be summarized as a life-changing experience for those involved in conserving and restoring cultural properties. The Institute has renewed its recognition of the significance of the JPC and is committed to continuing the project.
